Waterproof boot with enlarged throat opening



Feb. 27, 1962 G. H. BINGHAM, JR 3, 8

WATERPROOF BOOT WITH ENLARGED THROAT OPENING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1960 FIG?) IN VENTOR.

Feb. 27, 1962 G. H. BINGHAM, JR 3,022,583

WATERPROOF BOOT WITH ENLARGED THROAT OPENING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8', 1960 IN VENTOR.

ATT'YS.

United States Patent 9 3,022,583 WATERPROOF BOOT WITH ENLARGED THROAT OPENING George H. Bingham, Jr., Westminster, Md., assignor to Cambridge Rubber Company, Taneytown, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed June 8, 1960, Ser. No. 34,733 2 Claims. (Cl. 367.2)

This invention pertains to footwear and particularly to waterproof boots of the type which has long been referred to as Artics. Such boots reach well above the wearers ankle and have a front or throat opening extending downwardly from the top edge. A bellows tongue prevents entry of water or snow through the throat opening and buckles are commonly provided to keep the opening closed when the boot is in use. While the present invention is not limited to the material employed in the manufacture of the boot, the boot, as herein illustrated, as embodying the invention, is of molded plastic and unitary construction.

For the sake of appearance, as well as to insure a good fit, the throat opening usually terminates at a substantial distance rearwardly of the toe of the boot, ordinarily at a point above the instep arch, and customarily the bellow tongue tapers downwardly in width from the top of the boot to the lower end of the throat opening. Because the bellows tongue thus tapers downwardly in width, the efiective horizontal area of the space, through which the wearers foot must enter the foot portion of the boot, likewise decreases and since these boots are Worn over the ordinary shoe difficulty is often experienced in donning and dofling the boot.

The present invention has for an object the provision of a boot of the above type, wherein the bellow tongue does not taper downwardly to a narrow lower width, thereby insuring a much larger efiective space for the entry of the foot than is usual in boots of this type. A further object is to provide a bellow tongue so devised as to provide ample space for the donning and dofling of the boot, but which does not, because of its construction, lessen the space for the accommodation of the foot after the boot has been donned and closed, or result in discomfort to the wearer.

In the attainment of the above objects the forward folds of the bellows tongue are carried downwardly in approximately parallel relation from the top of the boot to their lower ends, while the central member or panel of the bellows tongue is of substantial width at its lower end, and with the forward folds or side panels of the bellows tongue so shaped and connected to the leg portion of the boot as to form hollow wings at opposite sides of the center part of the bellows tongue. These hollow wings provide ample material at the lower end of the throat opening to permit the boot top to be expanded much more widely than when the usual bellows tongue is employed, thus furnishing ample space for the donning and dofiing of the boot and since these hollow wings are external, their presence does not result in a decrease in the internal area of the boot such as might cause discomfort to the wearer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a boot embodying the invention the throat opening being closed;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the boot;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the boot, to reduced scale, also showing the throat opening closed;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view showing the bellows tongue expanded;

FIG. 6 is a plan view also showingv the bellows tongueexpanded and illustrating the unusually large interior I portion of the boot is indicated at 11, the forepart of the foot portion at 12 and the outer sole at 13. The boot has the throat opening 14 (FIGS. 3 and 4) extending downwardly from its upper edge to approximately the customary distance from the toe end of the boot and this threat opening is protected by a bellows tongue corn-prising the central panel 15 and the side panels 16 and 17 respectively, which are joined integrally to the panel 15 at fold lines 18 and 19 respectively. At their forward edges (FIG. 4) the side panels 16 and 17 are integrally joined :at the fold lines 20 and 21 respectively, with those portions 11a and 11b, of the upper 11, which are located at opposite sides of the throat opening. The panels 16 and 17, with the adjacent portions 11a and 11b of the top portion of the boot, form the walls of hollow Wings, W and W which extend down from the top edge of the boot to the points 22 and 23 respectively. The fold lines 20 and 21 extend uninterruptedly down to the points 22 and 23. As illustrated in FIG. 5, which shows the bellow tongue expanded, the fold lines 18 and 19, which join the central panel 15 to the side panels 16 and 17, are approximately parallel, so that the center panel 15 is of approximately uniform width from top to bottom. This, in itself, insures a greater area across the lower end of the throat opening for the introduction of the foot into the shoe than is common when a downwardly-tapering, V-shaped bellows tongue is employed. Moreover, the hollow wings W and W whose opposite walls 16 and and 11a, and 17 and 11b respectively, may be pulled away from each other, providing additional room at the lower end of the throat opening, so that when the bellows tongue is fully expanded, as shown in FIG. 6, there is ample space, down to the level of the lower end of the throat opening, for the entry of the foot into the boot. The forward fold edges 20 and 21 of wings W and W respectively, have convex portions 24 and 25 adjacent their lower ends to provide the additional fold material for expansion.

While the center panel 15 is of approximately uniform width, so as to be of similar widths at its upper and lower ends, it may be somewhat narrowed at the ankle portion to conform to the contour of the wearers foot. Preferably the wings W and W from the top to about the midpoint of convex edge portions 24 and 25, are of a folded depth equal to approximately onehalf the width of adjacent portion of the center panel 15.

After the boot has been donned the bellows tongue is permitted to contract and the wings W and W close and are folded over the central panel 15, and the wings may now be held in this position by mean of buckles B or equivalent fastener elements.

Since the wings W and W are external to the boot their presence does not reduce a space within the boot, such as to cramp the wearers foot, while the inner surface of the central panel 15 extends downwardly and merges smoothly, and without wrinkles or bulges, with the inner surface of the forepart portion of the boot. Thus the interior of the boot is smooth and comfortable and affords arnple space for the wearers foot and ankles.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has herein been disclosed by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I'elaim: v 1'. A' waterproof boot having a throat opening extend ing from the top of the boot to a point approximately above the instep portion thereof, said opening being closed by'a bellows tongue comprising a central panel and opposed side panels, said side panels being so shaped and down to approximately 'theYmid-point of said convex edge portion are of a folded depth equal to approximately one-half the width of the adjacent portion of the central connected to the leg portion of the boot as to form hol- 10 panel.

low expandable wings at opposite sides of the central panel, said wings extending downwardly from the top of the boot in approximate parallelismsuch that the lower ends thereof are substantially spaced apart, said Wings having interfitting fastening elements adapted to close the throat opening, the outer edge of each wing having a projecting, generally convex portion adjacent the lower end thereof adapted to provide substantial expandable References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,124,710 Crowley Jan. 12, 1915 1,334,089 Archambeau Mar. 16, 1920 1,892,791 Taber Jan. 3, 1933 2,924,029 Rosen Feb. 9, 1960 

